Line-wire connector.



J. s. PRATT. LINE WIRE CONNECTOR. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1908.

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

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UNITED STAS PA T FFICE.

JOHN SEDGWIGK PRATT, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

LINE-WIRE CONNECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Snncwrox PRATT, a citizen of the United States, of the United States Army, have invented new and useful Improvements in Line-VVire Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in line wire connectors, and is particularly directed to a connector designed primarily for use in the convenient and efiectual securing of electric line wires to insulators or other properly formed supports.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a connector formed particularly for cooperation with the insulator and to engage and hold the line wire in such relation to the insulator as to maintain an e'Eective connection between said wire and insulator.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating an insulator and a line wire connected thereto by the improved device. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a broken elevation of the same, taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1, the connector being shown in transverse section. Fig. 4: is a broken perspective of one end of the connector. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of connector. Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, my improved connector is designed primarily for use in securing a line wire, as l, to an insulator, as 2. In the form of insulator shown it is constructed wholly or in part of any usual or desired nonconducting material and is formed near the upper end with a circumferential groove or channel 3, in which the line wire 1 is to be secured. The insulator is not a material part of the present invention, as my improved protector is equally effective with any usual or preferred form of insulator to which the line wire is to be secured by a tying process.

The connector for tying the wire to the insulator comprises an elongated strip 4 of comparatively inflexible material which is bent into curved form having a radius exceeding that of the radius of curvature forming groove 3. The central portion of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 2 1908.

Patented Sept. 14-, 1.91%).

Serial No. 464,223.

the connector, which is flattened and of materially greater breadth than the similar di mension of the ends, is suitably pressed or stamped to form a semi-cylindrical rib or offset 5 projecting from the relatively inner surface of the protector. The rib 5 is in its transverse form and dimensions at its central or maximum portion of a dimension to fit more or less snugly Within the groove 3, while the inner surface of the strip above and below the rib is of plane extent to pro-- vide bearing portions to engage the body of the insulator above and below the rib, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The terminals of the strip forming the protector are, beyond the ends of the rib 5, formed to provide hooks 7 to receive the line wire.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I have shown a slightly modified form of connector designed particularly for use with power or other high potential line wires and the like. In this form the protector is constructed so that when in place it is insulated against the line wire. For this purpose the terminals of the connector, or more exactly the hook portions thereof, are given a transverse sectional form, as shown at 8, about each of which hook portions there is molded a layer or section 9 of rubber or insulated material. The insulating material is so arranged that a smooth. unbroken surface is presented to the line wire, as will be apparent from Fig. 7 of the drawings.

In use the line wire arranged in one portion of the groove 3 of the insulator is, on opposite sides of the insulator, projected or bent inwardly, after which the connector is placed in position with the hooks 7 engaging the line wire and the ribs 5 fitting within that portion of the groove 3 which is diametrically opposite the portion engaged by the line wire. The line wire is thus in effect carried approximately half around the insulator and secured in place by the connector which extends approximately about the opposing half of the insulator. As the line wire is comparatively free for endwise movement within the hooks 7, it is obvious that any strain upon the line wire Will permit a comparatively slight endwise movement of said line wire in the hooks with the effect to bind the connector more snugly to the insulator. In other Words any strain upon the line wire tends to render more effective the holding power of the connector.

While preferring that the connector be formed in the manner described, it is obvious that it can with equal facility and effect be constructed of a single strip of wire terminally bent to form hooks. As the hooks are arranged to engage the line wire with the latter in the groove 3 and the rib 5 in said groove 3, it is obvious that it is wholly immaterial so far as its connecting power is concerned whether the hooks 7 are arranged upwardly or downwardly in applying the connector.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A line wire connector comprising a curved strip formed to provide terminal hooks and having a central laterally olt'set rib arranged on the inner surface of the;

curved portion of the strip. 

